Ladybug and the Beast
by Angel of Yami
Summary: Marinette's village lies on the outskirts of an expansive forest. There are rumors that a Beast lives in the forest. Turned out they were true.
1. Chapter 1

So. This is a story I'm trying to do for NaNoWriMo. So, you'll probably see more chapters as I get them up. I'm really hoping I finish this by the end of the month. I'll try to at least get the chapters up as I write them, if not, I'll see if I can do a weekly update.

If it's been over a week, I forgot and you can poke and prod until I put up a chapter. .

Without further ado, here Ladybug and the Beast~

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"I swear it's the Beast from the legend." One of the hunters said. He took a deep drink from his glass with shaky hands. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he started again. The people surrounding him leaned closer as his voice became softer.

"There I was, following the tracks of the herd. Followed it for hours, I did. Finally, just as the sun was leaving the highest place, I saw them ahead in a clearing. They had stopped to eat and take a drink from the river. Anyway, I set myself up for one of the big ones. I had him in my sights." He mimed holding his rifle up and looking through the scope. "I had him in my sights. Then, I heard a noise to my right. I glance over there, making sure something wasn't sneaking up on me. But there wasn't anything there. After I made damn sure there wasn't anything trying to get me from behind I went to get my kill. I lined him up again and right as I was about to pull the trigger a shadow flew across my line of sight! Had my deer pinned to the ground and killed it like that-" He snapped his fingers and caused the ones around him to jump slightly at the loud pop.

"Never seen anything move so fast in my life. Thing never stood a chance. And the thing that killed it. Sleek and black and deadly. The kind of big cats you hear from stories, but shaped like a human. It took a handful of the deer and started dragging it back with one hand. Like it was nothing." The room made various sounds of astonishment. "I waited until I was sure it was gone before heading back. I noticed my traps were sprung, but the animals were gone. I'm sure that monster, that Beast, took them too."

"Oh, Kim, it must have been a horrifying experience for you." The village who-cough- The village head's daughter, Chloe, said as she placed her hands on his arm, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Kim turned to her as he nodded. "Scariest thing I've ever seen, but I made it back alive to tell the tale!" "Hear, hear!" Shouts rang out and glasses banged against wood tables.

The tale spread across the village that night as the women and men went about their daily tasks. It's been getting more dangerous in the forest that laid just over the small hill next to the village. Each night, villagers looked at the forest with fear and apprehension. What if the Beast of the Forest came to terrorize them. Their poor hunting must have been because of that thing. Hunters were coming back with less and less every day. They were lucky they still had their fields and gardens. They were able to trade their crops for meat from the city. Though they had to go the long way around the forest. It took over a full day, sunrise to sunset, to reach the city. Of course, there was a road through the forest, but because of the Beast, everyone was afraid to travel it, even if it cut off three-fourths of the trip. It was only used in dire emergencies, but whenever it was used, people brought stories of shadows in the trees and noises in the bushes.

This is the first tale of someone actually seeing it though.

Later that night, as the daytime businesses were starting to close and the villagers to spend their hard earned money at the tavern and other games and activities. The last shop to close for the day was the modest bakery near the outskirts. Tom, the owner, was talking quietly to Kim as he placed the hunter's order in his basket. His daughter, Marinette, was sweeping on the other side of the room.

"Say, Kim. Do you think you could describe this beast again? I've heard different things. Did it really have horns?" Tom asked warily. He shivered at the thought of something that wasn't supposed to be natural in this world.

Kim shook his head. "No. They were ears, like they belonged on one of those big cats from the mountain ranges. Black and pointed up as it listened to the surrounding forest. It's whole body was covered in black fur. Except for it's head, this is the weird part. It was blonde, like blonde hair. Sort of long and shaggy, like it didn't know what a comb was. I didn't get a real good look at it's face, but I think I saw a flash of green where it's eyes were supposed to be."

Tom shivered and spit on the floor, causing Marinette to glare at him. "And to think, that thing practically lives in our backyard. Damn thing won't let us have a peaceful walk through the forest to the city."

Kim nodded and gathered his basket. "I'd better get this back to Mother before she scolds me for being late again."

Tom patted his shoulder and placed another pastry on top. "A parting gift to quell a mother's fury. It's a nice thing you're doing, helping your mother." He winked heartily and walked around the counter to hold the door open for the young man. With the bigger man's back turned, Kim darted his eyes to watch the young woman for as long as he wasn't caught before following the taller man to the door.

Marinette shuddered slightly and paused in her sweeping to glance behind her, but neither of the two were looking in her direction. She frowned and rolled her shoulders to relax before going back to finishing her task. She finished just as the door swung shut and she turned to her papa with a stern look. "You said you would help me clean, not gossip with customers."

Tom grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, Marinette. I know. I just really wanted to hear the story first-hand. You know how gossipers get when they have a story."

Marinette sighed through her nose and nodded. "I do, Papa, but I need to be getting to the Tavern to help out. Kim's story is going to keep customers there for a long night. They need my help for the rush."

"And I will finish the rest of it, you go ahead." Tom didn't like the fact that his daughter was working in a place filled with drunkards, but he knew she wanted to save up money herself for her passions. And he couldn't tell her no for that. He'd seen the way she would analyze the dresses and suits in the city, both on the rack and on people. He watched her lose track of time feeling and comparing all sorts of fabric in the city. She practiced so hard and her clothes were a big hit in the village. He couldn't wait for, and secretly dreaded, the time were she decided to move to the city and become a seamstress full time.

Marinette grinned and kissed his cheek. "Thank you Papa. I'll be back safe later tonight." She rushed upstairs to change into something more tavern worthy. She sat at her vanity and brushed herself up a little. Not anything like Chloe does, just some simple touches here and there. She was eternally grateful to Alya, her best friend, for tips with a brush. She brushed and braided her hair before checking herself over once more.

She paused and grinned when she heard her papa's confused voice from downstairs. "What was that Papa?" She giggled to herself as she walked to the stairway. She looked down to see her papa at the foot giving the most adorably flustered look on his face. She really could see how her mother fell for him. The honesty of his face told wonders of his personality. She tilted her head as he opened his mouth. "When did you have time to do all of that?"

Arms behind her, and an air of innocence surrounding her, Marinette padded down the stairs. "Do what Papa?" She waited until he pointed to the direction of the kitchen. "Oh! You mean finish cleaning everything and make you and Maman a romantic dinner for two?" She kissed his cheek. "Happy anniversary Papa. A special gift of a night without any worries."

She giggled at the boyish delight on his face as he swept her up in his arms and spun her around the room. "How did we get such a wonderful daughter?" She patted his shoulder as he set her back onto her feet. "Maman already had that talk with me and I don't feel keen on repeating it anytime soon." She grinned deviously as her papa sputtered embarrassedly behind her. She made it to the door and opened it just in time to let said Maman through the door with a kiss on the cheek and an energetic, "Happy anniversary," before she left for the Tavern.

Marinette rushed down the streets to the center of the village, specifically to the pond to the side, where her two best friends were, Alya, and her boyfriend, Nino.

Two faces lit up as they see the last of their group join them. A barely tamed bush of brown wavy hair bounced as Alya jumped up to give her friend a tight hug before nearly dragging the two of them towards where hustle had surely already started. Every time tales of the Beast came up, the Tavern was always crowded. And when the crowds formed at the Tavern, lots of work followed. And it would probably be especially busy with the Beast's first sighting.

For some reason, the place seemed more crowded with more outsiders then usual. It must be the beginnings of harvest season. There were more people headed toward the city. The three of them wound their ways through the throng of people to begin work. Most of them congregated by the fireplace, where Kim was seated on a highbacked chair. Newcomers were prodding him for every detail he could remember of his experience. And he was more then happy to comply.

Marinette was on the other side of the room when she heard an unfamiliar laugh float above the noise. It effectively made the whole room grow quiet as people were trying to see what was so funny. An older gentleman, a hunter Marinette guessed, stood up and addressed the group around him. "How can we be so sure if this beast exists if there's only one person who has seen it. Come now, there must be more than just the word of one boy." The faces around him started growing uncomfortable at his words.

"Are you calling one of our finest hunters a liar?" The village head, Mr. Bourgeois, pushed his way through the crowd to stand besides Kim.

The older hunter raised his hands in defense. "All I'm saying is that the city hasn't heard about any Beast living in the forest terrorizing folks. There's been tales about the forest being spooky with sounds, but they're in all the forests you come across. They're all different, but I've never heard about a Beast with the description anywhere else I've traveled. I'm just wondering if the heat from the sun may have caused him to see things that weren't there."

Voices were raised around the room at this. Some people defending Kim and others questioning. After a minute of this Kim stood up and raised his hands to signal that he wanted to talk. After he made sure he had the room's attention, he placed his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest. "If it's proof you want, I'll bring you your proof." The people from the village raised various cheers and some concerns.

Chloe shoved her way through and threw herself into his arms. "Oh, Kim! That's so brave of you. It's so dangerous in those trees." Kim placed his hands on her arms, holding her protectively. "Do not worry, dear Chloe! I will prove these unbelievers wrong and bring peace back to our village." The last part was directed to the whole room, which brought forth a loud applause from the village and a few others who believed the story.

More drinks were ordered in celebration which caused Marinette to rush even faster then before. She grinned at Alya as she brought an armload of drinks to the table where Kim and some others who gathered, already planning various attack strategies for when Kim entered the forest. She bent over to set out the drinks in front of their respective owners when she felt a tap against her rear. She swallowed a surprised squeak and straightened up, thankful she still wasn't holding any liquid. Looking around, she found Kim looking up at her out of the corner of his eyes, a smirk on his face. Chloe was next to him, glaring daggers at Marinette.

Giving a disgusted look, she gave a flick of her skirts as she turned and darted away. She found Alya a few paces away and gripped her arm. She whispered everything to her friend as the darker-skinned girl's face grew darker with each word. Her gaze snapped over to the table where Kim was whispering into Chloe's ear. Said girl was giggling and batting her eyes at him.

Alya cleared her throat and brought Marinette close to her. "I'll handle that side of the room. You stay over here." Marinette gave her her most relieved grin and nodded enthusiastically. She effectively swapped positions with Alya and went back to work, bringing drinks and food to tables.

She jumped and whirled around as a yell resounded through the room again. This time, it was Kim, standing and trying to wipe off as much liquid as possible. Alya was dabbing at him with a rag that she had at her side. "I'm so sorry!" could be heard from her as she tried her best to dry him off.

She was pushed away by Chloe, who took the rag from her and set about drying Kim's face off. "I'm sure you did that on purpose!"

Alya crossed her arms and glared. "It's crowded in here and I tripped. I didn't mean to spill that drink."

Marinette decided right then and there that Alya was getting the first thing she made with the special fabric she was planning on buying from the city. She already had something planned for her. She just hoped she would be able to make it without her knowing.

She fought the urge to laugh and instead tutted lightly to herself. She caught Alya's eyes in her own for a short, brief, moment and they shared a triumphant look before going back to their jobs.

The night slowed down late into the night as tired and drunk people left , taking the excited atmosphere with them. Alya let Marinette go home early as she knew the girl got up just after her parents did for the bakery and she needed her sleep. Marinette gave her friend a tight hug and a whispered thank you before leaving.

She was halfway home when she heard the footsteps behind her. She turned to see Kim behind her. She squeaked at the unexpectedness of his presence. "K-Kim...! I figured you would be getting ready for your hunt tomorrow."

Kim shrugged lightly as he sauntered towards Marinette. The girl in question took a few small, hesitant steps backwards. "I was hoping I could get some good luck from you before I left tomorrow."

Marinette felt her shoulders tighten. She was always raised to be a good, kind, and thoughtful person. To never say anything bad to anyone. And that is the only reason she didn't say anything that she was currently thinking towards him. She cleared her throat and held her arms across her stomach. "I-I thought that Chloe was your luck."

Kim made a sound like suspiciously sounded like a snort as he took another confident step towards her. "You and I both know that Chloe isn't the one I want to be my luck." He gave her a look that she was sure he hoped was smoldering, but she couldn't get past how pathetic he looked. Granted, if she was interested, it might have worked on her. She's seen that look being sent Chloe's way and she went all giggly and batted her eyelashes back at him.

He must have taken her silence as an invitation, because the next thing she knew, his arm had found it's way around her shoulders. She bit back a retort and the feel of bile rising in her throat. "How about I walk you home? There could be some unsavory people out tonight."

Marinette clenched her fists at her side and tried, really tried, to be nice. But the uncomfortable feeling that she got from him overpowered her teachings from her parents. She twisted her body away from him as a look of shock found it's way to his face. "I wish you luck on your hunt tomorrow, but I can walk myself home tonight. Thank you for your words of concern though." She curtsied to him and all but fled away from him.

"I'll see you tomorrow before I leave." She heard him call from behind her. His voice was frustrated and determined. Not at all about to give up on her.

Marinette halted at her family's shop's front door. Looking around, she took in deep pants of the crisp night air. It didn't seem that Kim followed her and she was able to try and calm down before going inside. Seeing that she was really alone she took one last deep breath to calm her erratically beating heart before turning to the door. She reached out to open it when a shadow crossed her sight. She whirled around and frantically tried to spot the source.

Upon seeing nothing she rushed inside, locked the door, and made sure she was secure under her blankets before allowing herself to try and calm down.

Marinette muttered under her breath as she woke up with the sun. She had hoped her body would stay asleep a little while longer, but working in the bakery stopped any sort of sleeping in. She sighed as she raised herself from out of the warmth of her bed and mindlessly went about her morning ritual. Splashing cold water on her face woke her up enough to actually put some life into getting herself ready to help out today.

"Are you okay, Marinette? You look tired." Marinette perked up as her mother, Sabine, paused in her baking to worry over her. She suppressed a yawn and smiled. "I had a rough night. I just could get to sleep." She smiled as Sabine fussed over her hair and clothes, making sure her daughter at least looked ready for the day. They both looked up as Tom poked his head into the kitchen. "Marinette. Kim is here to see you."

Those words alone caused Marinette to completely wake up with the feeling of cold dread crawling down her spine. The memory of last night came creeping back to haunt her. "Ah ha... I'll...be out in a moment." Tom nodded and went back to the store front. Marinette groaned softly and knocked her head against the wall before attempting to gather the courage to go face the hunter waiting out there.

She lifted her head when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Sabine gave her an encouraging smile. "It looks like someone has his sights on you? After all this time? You're twenty-one years old, it is time to think about settling down. Oh, this day has taken long enough to get here!"

Marinette had to force the smile onto her face. "He likes someone else and she likes him back. He shouldn't be asking me to do this." Her hand wandered to her charm that she had around her neck, hoping it's luck would help her today as well. She pulled it out of her shirt and stared down at it's design. Something about it always made her feel...safe. Protected. It didn't matter that she made the ladybug out of clay when she was really little.

Sabine frowned, as she came back from her high, and nodded. "Then you need to tell him. You deserve more then to have your feelings confused like this."

Marinette grinned and hugged the woman. "Thank you, Maman." She let go and turned toward the doorway leading to the shop. She straightened her already straight dress and fluffed her twin pigtails. Placing her hand on her lucky charm, she took a deep breath to silence her nerves, and then she stepped out into the shop front.

Only to be met with a bouquet of flowers. Irritation curled in the pit of her stomach. She took a silent breath to keep her temper in check. Forcing a smile on her face, she took the flowers from him. She would feel better telling him no to his face. "Good morning, Kim." Damn her good manners.

Kim grabbed her hand as he bowed low, kissing the back of it before she had time to register what was going on. He lifted his head to smile at her. "Good morning, Princess."

Marinette lifted the flowers to hide her disgusted scowl. She tried to pull her hand back, but Kim held tight to it. "Kim..."

Kim saw her adorably bashful face hidden behind the flowers. A grin split his face as he stood up, keeping her delicate hand clenched between his two big ones. "Would you accompany me to the edge of the village and give me luck on my hunt?"

'There couldn't be a more perfect time.' Marinette thought. She handed the flowers to her mother. Sabine gently took them from her daughter and gave her a look before going to find a vase.

Marinette turned back to Kim and opened her mouth to speak. It turned into a squeak as she was suddenly lifted into the air and spun in a circle. She clung to Kim as her feet swung behind her. "Put me down!"

By the time her feet touched the ground, her head spun in dizziness. She felt her arm being pulled and when her head stopped swimming she found that she was outside. Kim was dragging her toward the forest.

She felt panic set in as she saw the throng of people at the edge of the village. "K-Kim, wait!"

Kim looked behind him, slowing, but not stopping. "Yes, Marinette?"

Marinette dug her heels into the ground, pulling her hand back with all her strength. Which wasn't much compared to his. "Stop. Please."

Kim's eyes narrowed as he gripped her hand tighter. "Marinette. I need to get going. I need your luck."

"I'm not your luck!" She didn't care that he had a dangerous look on his face. She was tired of it. Of his constant advances, his over flirtations. He always had Chloe draped all over him. Always disappearing with her and the next time they're seen, their clothes and hair were rumpled. If he really wanted her then he wouldn't keep going back to Chloe. He would actually listen to her and find out what she was like. He would actually take the time to woo her, instead, he just assumed that because he was the village spotlight, she would fall head over heels for him and not care about anything else he did. "If you want luck, go find Chloe. I'm sure she'd love to give you all the luck you want."

She instantly regretted her words as the look on Kim's face darkened. He pulled her in between two buildings, hiding them from sight of the road behind a pile of crates. "And I've told you, Marinette. I don't want Chloe as my luck. I want you. I've always wanted you." He pinned her against the wall as he slid one hand down her side.

Marinette grit her teeth and slammed her fist onto his shoulder. His smirk only fueled the rage and fear growing inside her. She squirmed more, trying to get some purchase to push him away. She was strong because she was a baker's daughter, but he spent years out in the forest and fields. Chasing prey for hours and then hauling it back gave him more muscles then she'd ever even dream about having.

She heard footsteps crunching the road on the other side, but before she could call out she felt her mouth covered by Kim's big hand. Her pushed them farther down against the wall, making her flails even more useless and her cries even softer. Kim waited until the footsteps disappeared completely before releasing Marinette's mouth. "Now now, Princess. We can't have someone interrupting our fun..."

Marinette paled as that phrasing brought a lot of things up that she only saw in her darkest nightmares. She shook her head and tried even harder to get away. "Let me go, Kim!"

She felt her body lift off the wall and then slammed against it. She felt her head connect to the wall with a loud crack. A cry tore from her lips and was then silenced as a pair of lips blocked their escape. She fought to turn her head away but thick fingers held her chin steady. Her head hurt to much to try and move, but she didn't care. She needed to get away. Away from the wet lips that sent disgusted shivers crawling across her skin. She wished the bile that churned in her stomach would actually come up, it would most likely give her the distraction she needed to get away.

She felt a hot hand roam down her side and leg. She felt the cooler air hit her leg as her dress rode up her leg. She whimpered and cried as she felt his hand caress her leg, starting at her ankle and moving so slowly up her leg. She tried to kick his hand away, but it only made him grip her leg tightly until she stopped moving.

She never stopped trying to push him away, but nothing she did made any difference. He was simply much better and stronger then she was. Her mind whispered that if she just let him have her way, he might just be quick and get on with his hunt. Then she could go home and curl up and never see the light of day again. But another part of her mind lifted it's heel and stomped that thought into oblivion. There was no way Marinette Dupian-Cheng was a quitter. If Kim was going to rape her, she was going to make it as hard as possible.

That last thought spurred to lift her fist one more time, aiming for the cheek that was next to hers. She felt her fist connect and then keep going. She gasped for air as she felt the oppressive heat leave her. She coughed as her eyes flew open to find where he went.

She saw Nino in front of her, punching Kim into the ground. Kim's arms were forming a protective barrier around his head. He kicked out his leg and caught Nino in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Nino might have had strength from being an instrument maker's son, but he wasn't a trained fighter that Kim was. Nino fell to his knees heavily with his arms wrapped around his stomach.

Kim stood up, looking livid. Before Marinette could stop him Kim punched Nino in the face, knocking him to the ground. A brown blur flew into Kim before he could land a second punch. When Marinette could see clearly again, Alya was standing in front of Nino with her arms wide, trying to protect the man on the ground. Marinette felt as if she was disconnected from her body as she watched Kim spit on the ground in front of them before turning to leave.

She watched as Alya waited until Kim had rounded the corner before turning to make sure Nino was okay. She helped him sit up and checked his face. Nino tried to turn his face away and was saying something to her, but Marinette couldn't hear it. At his prompting, Alya turned to her friend. She opened her mouth and said something. Marinette thought she did anyway, she couldn't really hear anything but silence. Alya stood up and rushed over to Marinette. Her mouth was moving, but there was no sound coming out.

Alya waved her hand in front of Marinette's face, but the woman couldn't gather the energy to notice it. Her vision blurred.

She couldn't see very well, she had the vague idea that she was crying. Every now and then she could see about a second of what was happening in front of her. She saw Alya and Nino on either side of her, Nino's left eye was darker then she remembered. Next time she could see, she swore she saw her papa. Then her vision blurred again and turned black.

So... This is it. The first chapter of my disaster. I'm really hoping I at least finish this.

Please please please please review and give me critique. This is my first real story that I'm going to try and do.


	2. Chapter 2

So, it was brought to my attention that I forgot to put ages... T-T I fixed it in the first one where Sabine and Marinette are in the kitchen before Mari goes to see Kim. Mari is twenty-one and everyone is around that age. Except for parents, because adults. I'll try to pay more attention to details. But if any of you see anything, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I'm the one double-checking my work and sometimes things slip.

This chapter is in Kim's POV. I'm not planning on changing POV's the whole time, I'm mostly going to try and stick with Mari, because she's the main. I just couldn't pass this up though. Mari's going to be the next chapter.

Without further ado~ Chapter two of ladybug and the Beast~

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Kim kissed Chloe as the crowd cheered. He kept it going for a while, hoping Marinette was watching. She looked so cute with that jealous look on her face. When he broke the kiss Chloe's slightly kiss swollen lips pouted in a way she thought was cute, but it made Kim feel little. He pulled away and bent to gather his things from the ground behind him.

He strapped his gun to his back, then made sure the small bag of gunpowder was secure in the pouch at his left side. Then he grabbed the quiver of arrows and bow and made sure they were slung into their proper positions. He checked that his various knives were in their positions, one in each boot, two in the back of his belt that were covered by his shirt, and his big hunting knife strapped to his right thigh. He grabbed his water skin and satchel of food, throwing them over his shoulder.

He straightened and waved to the crowd of people as he started toward the forest. He focused his attention up the road, where he saw Tom from the bakery hurrying down the road. It looked like he was carrying someone. Kim's smile faltered as he saw dark hair. Those two, Alya and Nino, were following after him. He wondered what happened to Marinette. As much as he wanted to go see her, he knew his mission was more important. He would bag this Beast and show it to Marinette. He could already see the way she would swoon and pronounce her undying love to him.

He turned toward the distant trees, his feet carrying him closer and closer. He let his mind wander, as he usually did before he started a hunt. His thoughts always turned towards Marinette. He smiled as the memory of their time in the alleyway came to him. He refused to think about how it was cut short. He focused on the feel of her soft skin under his calloused hand, how sweet her lips tasted.

Then his chest twinged and he lost his train of thought. He placed a hand on his chest where that bastard Nino got in a few cheap shots. It was nothing that he couldn't handle, but it was annoying. How dare he ruin his precious time with Marinette. He would make Nino pay once he got back. And Alya, his bitch.

He cut his thoughts off as he reached the edge of the woods. He looked up into the sky. For a hunt as big as this he would really need his ritual. He took deep, slow breaths. Each breath in, he would breathe the smell of the forest, breathe in the voices of the trees. Each breath out, a little of his distractions went with it. Marinette, Chloe, the people in the village. They fell to a place in the back of his mind and locked up tight. There would be plenty of time to think about them later. For now, it was time for Kim the Hunter to emerge.

With the first steps into the foliage, the sounds changed. He always felt this forest was a different kind of alive. The birds didn't sound quite right. The tracks were just a little different. Other hunters didn't feel the same way. Even though they were always looking behind them with uncertainty.

But today, it felt silent. There wasn't any wind. He couldn't hear any birds in the air or animals on the ground. Quite frankly, it unnerved him. It was as if the forest was waiting for something. Something big. The calm before the storm.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves before analyzing which actions he should take. As he did, he thought back to the information he was given on the Manor. He replayed the meeting from last night in his head.

 _"Legend has it that the Manor resides in the heart of the forest." Mr. Kubdel, the resident librarian, said. Throughout the years, he has spent his free time pooling together all the information everyone had of the Agrest Manor. He had been traveling more in these past months, since his daughter, Alix, has become old enough to watch the shop._

 _He gathered his papers together and shuffled through them for a rough map of the forest. "I've made my own map to show you approximately where it is. Here is the city." He pointed to a circle he made to show where the city was on his map. He trailed his finger down to the strip of green beneath it. "Here is the forest that has come between our village and the city. This strip is the path that we should be able to take to reach the city, but with the Beast and strange happenings we are unable to." His finger slid down the map more. "And here is our village."_

 _Kim pursed his lips as he heard the man drone on. He already knew all of this. He had gone around the trees many times to reach the city. He couldn't speak up to tell the man to hurry though. He knew it would cause the man to speak even slower and he wanted this to go as fast as possible. He was hoping to go to Marinette's early in the morning so he could ask her once more to be his luck before he set out._

 _He brought his attention back to the room as he heard Mr. Kubdel roll his map out, showing more green then he thought was actually there. "Now, this is more like what the forest looked like around the time the legends came about. It has changed drastically, but no one has been able to make a map of it, as no one ventures that far out anymore. As you can see, this map doesn't have the chasm that is supposed to encircle the Manor." He placed a finger to the far right of the map, where there was a drawing of a little house. "According to my research, though, the chasm is shaped like this around the Manor." He took his ink pen and carefully construct a lopsided circle around the manor. "Right here is where the rope bridge is supposed to be. It was placed where the road was supposed to have been. I believe it has been lost to time, but you shall she when you get there." He placed some more focal points that Kim should be able to see if he climbed a tree, describing them as he drew them, before he set it to the side to dry._

 _Mr. Bourgeois nodded. "Thank you for that. But what could you tell us about the legends? What have you gathered from your travels?"_

 _A smile graced Mr. Kubdel's face as if it was just waiting for this moment. "I'm glad you asked. Here is what I gathered." He pulled his stack of notes towards him again and began reading off the top one:_

 _"A long time ago, the Agrest's were wealthiest family from the city. Some speculate that they were even royalty, though not directly in line for the throne. Some say that a young daughter of the royal family fell in love with a baron and married him. They didn't want to live in the palace at the time, they wanted to live a quieter life. So the two of them decided to build a grand Manor in the heart of the forest. They commissioned the finest craftsmen to build it. After it was done, it would stand for many, many generations. It still stands today after eight hundred or more years._

 _"Well, many generations did come and go. Parties were held regularly, as important people from all over the land would come and partake in various celebrations. It was at one such party, some three hundred years ago, that ruin befell them. Most say that they were celebrating young Adrien Agrest's twenty-third birthday. He would have inherited the Manor that night from his parents. They had invited many people from all over to celebrate this grand occasion with them._

 _"It was at the height of the party, right before young Adrien would have been titled owner of the Manor, that the fabled sorcerer, Hawkmoth, entered the fray. The wide double doors, leading into the ballroom, opened with such force that cracks appeared on the walls as the doors slammed into them. All the guests backed away in fear, praying to god that they would make it out alive._

 _"Hawkmoth lifted his arms and the entire room shut itself in. All the doors and window shutters closed and wouldn't let anyone out, no matter how strong they were. Before they could try and attack Hawkmoth, he started the ritual. An evil purple light emanated from the floor and anyone who was caught in it were put under some sort of hypnosis. Hawkmoth started chanting in a haunting language. In the very center of the floor rose a pedestal. One by one, Hawkmoth told people to stand on the pedestal. As soon as they did, the light would go grow stronger. The person standing there would emit such a scream the it pierced the eardrums. Their skin would start to peel, their muscles disintegrated, blood would drain from every orifice onto the platform, everything that touch it would sink into it. The light on the pedestal grew redder and redder with each person._

 _"He was almost done killing everyone for his ritual. He had ten to fifteen people left. He instructed another person to step onto the platform. They were about to step foot on it, when someone hefted a rope onto the chandelier and swung across, scooping the person up and hefting them to the balcony on top. Turning, the man turned out to be none other then Adrien Agrest._

 _"Adrien dodged an attack from Hawkmoth and swung back down, knocking Hawkmoth to the ground and interrupting his concentration. The light disappeared and the rest of the people snapped out of the hypnosis. Adrien kept Hawkmoth busy, making sure he didn't have the time to concentration to start the ritual up again. The people left took that time to escape._

 _"No one knows what happened after that. The people made it out, and as they were fleeing to safety the Manor and the entire grounds were covered by the same purple light from the ballroom. The light faded and everything was quiet. Then the ground ripped itself apart! A great chasm was torn around the Manor. The smallest section is a half of a kilometer wide. No one has been able to climb down and come back, so far into the earth it digs._

 _"Search parties tried to find a way over, but no one made it alive. New constructed bridges were breaking for no reason, ropes snapped. Finally, the King had forbade all attempts to get over the chasm._

 _"Years later, a rope bridge was found. No one knows who did it, but it stayed far longer then any other attempts, so a small group of explorers crossed it. They made it over alive. Only two made it back alive. Tales of the Beast from the Manor started. People were getting attacked. Wagons were destroyed overnight. Livestock slaughtered and cargo stolen._

 _"The King sent many soldiers into the forest to kill the Beast. Those who were unlucky enough to come back had been driven mad. They would only scream about the Beast that was black as night. The King then forbade anyone from entering the forest at all. Anyone who was caught trying to sneak in were sent to prison. Lest they lose anymore subjects to it's awful claws."_

 _Mr. Kubdel sat back after that, watching the faces of his audience. He lifted a hand to try and rub some of the tiredness away. He felt...drained after that. His voice wasn't as strong as it was when he first started, like the story itself was taking the life from him in front of everyone's eyes. He leaned forward again and stared at Kim with an intensity that didn't fit well with his demeanor. "Kim. This isn't your regular hunt. This is dangerous. This Beast is dangerous. You need to be careful. If the Beast in the forest now is anything like what I've heard, this thing will toy with you before killing you. You need to keep your wits."_

 _Kim felt something stir in the pit of his stomach that he hadn't felt for a very long time. Since his first hunt. But no, that was years ago. He's 24 now. A full man. He's faced down everything in the forest so far. He took down a stray male lion that found it's way into the village with his bare hands when he was only 18. Even staring into the lion's hungry savage eyes didn't even give him a portion of what he felt now. This fear..._

 _Kim took a deep breath and stood up, the scraping of the chair against the floor made everyone jump as the spell the legend cast was broken. "I will kill this Beast. And I will bring it's dead body back to show who it was that saved the forest."_

Kim shook himself out of his thoughts and looked around. He was getting close to the meadow where he first saw the Beast. He decided to start there and see if there were any tracks left to follow.

He cast his gaze around, hoping he could spot something that would make a sound. He considered making some himself, just to prove that he hadn't lost his hearing. But he felt that if he did, something terrible would happen. He wasn't sure what, but he knew that there was a chance that he would actually lose his life if he broke this silence here.

He stopped and took in a shuddering, silent breath. No. This isn't how he's supposed to think. He's the Hunter. He's the one who will come out victorious, the body of the Beast wrapped around his shoulders like some sick scarf. He smirked as the thought of presenting the Beast's body to Marinette. He imagined her look of awe she would give him. A shiver of desire coursed through his body at that though of the very beautiful Marinette presenting herself to him.

He tried to shake those thoughts away before they messed with his body. The last thing he needed was to spend unnecessary time pleasing himself when he's only just started. He put one foot in front of the other, hoping the movement would quiet his aching stomach.

Not even five steps forward and the image of Marinette laying on a bed, waiting for him, made him stop short. He felt the burning need in his stomach and groin area that would not be quieted. Kim pursed his lips as he cast his eyes around for a secluded spot. If he was going to do this, he wasn't going to have something catch him with his pants down.

He found a fallen tree ahead. Coming up to it, he found that the space between the tree and it's stump had made a hollow. Big enough for him to hide for a short time. He looked around as he took off his quiver and bow. Setting them in the tree part of the hollow, Kim sat as far back as he could into the stump. His back scraping against the wood. He breathed as he lowered the waistband of his pants.

His member throbbed painfully as it was freed. A sigh of relief passed through Kim's lips as he thought back to his vision of Marinette. Starting out slowly, he imagined his hands gracing over her naked body. How soft and supple her breasts would feel under his hands. He gripped his twitching member and slowly pumped his hand up and down. He leaned his head back as his mind kept wandering. He imagined the noises Marinette would make as he kissed the skin on her neck. How her skin would look with his love bites on it. He pumped his hand faster as he imagined entering her. Her moans and gasps would sound heavenly to his ears. The way her back would arch as he would thrust into her, pushing her perfect breasts into his chest. Her slick sex would grip him as she orgasmed. Her voice would come out harsh as she called his name, begging him to give her his sweet release.

His breathing became ragged as he gripped himself tighter. The heat in his belly coiling angrily as he kept imagining the way Marinette would please him long into the night. He felt the heat increase exponentially and he pumped his hand as fast as he could to keep it rising. "Marinette..." he gasped her name as he arched his back. The sound of her name on his lips and the imagined Marinette screaming his name caused him to burst. He bucked his hips into the air as he felt like a broken dam. He bit his lips to stop himself from screaming her name, causing his lip to split. The pain just added to the residual pleasure coursing through his body.

Panting harshly, Kim opened his eyes. He didn't think he was there for very long, but it seemed the sun had moved significantly. He waited, taking deep breaths, before he felt like he could move his legs without buckling. He pulled his pants back up and crawled toward the opening in the tree, making sure not to kneel in his mess. With one hand on his hunting knife he peeked around the edge. Looking everywhere, he didn't see anything out of the ordinary, even though it felt like the air was pressing down on him. He frowned and gathered his weapons, keeping watch out. He stood up, stretching lightly.

He decided that he'd better step lively if he wanted to get to the Manor in a decent amount of time. According to where the Manor supposedly was, it would take him at least a week to reach there. That's if it was actually there. He could only hope it was, or he met the Beast before then.

He knew he would need something to eat soon. He didn't want to eat anything he brought with him until it was an emergency. But he hadn't seen anything around. Not even any birds flying in the air. He frowned as he stopped and looked around. ...This was going to be a very long hunt. At least he could see edible nuts and fruit around. But that would only take him so far. He hoped the farther into the forest he trekked, the more signs of animals would appear.

Later that day, Kim looked up to see that he had maybe an hour until the sun set completely. He would need to find a place to sleep for the night. He cast his eyes around and noticed that he was close to the meadow where he saw the Beast. He looked closer, confused. He shouldn't have reached it until tomorrow at least. He kept going, making sure to keep his hurried steps silent.

He walked around a tree and was surprised to see the same exact meadow he was at earlier. He moved closer to where he saw the Beast take down the deer. The marks from the scuffle were still there, as fresh as if it just happened.

Kim felt his heart race and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He whipped around, holding his bow at the ready, arrow already notched into it. He stood there for an unknown amount of time. Nothing came out so Kim slowly lowered his bow. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and looked around. He didn't have much time left so he set off to find a place to rest, on the other side of the meadow.


End file.
